Container



Oct. 13, 1942. M, mTHERs LL 2,298,293

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l fzgf I? if INVENTOR.

wazwfi z BY 154M ATTORNEYS J. M. HOTHERSALL Oct. 13, 1942.

' CONTAINER Filed Dec. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 7 W BY .0, Av

fi'm'n'fvs Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE CONTAINERJohn M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company,New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a sheet metal container or can having acompound gasket lined removable cover which is adapted to hold a vacuumwithin the sealed container and which is secured in closed and sealedposition on the container by interrupted screw threads, the inventionhaving particular reference to a construction of cover which alsoincludes elements for readily breaking the vacuum within the containerwhen it is initially opened by unscrewing of the cover.

The present invention constitutes certain modifications and improvementsin the respec-- tive containers disclosed in my United States LettersPatent Numbers 2,180,357 and 2,241,381, the latter issued on a priorfiled application copending herewith.

Covers having a sealing gasket of compound lining material when appliedto cans which have been vacuumized and which are secured in place byinterlocking screw threads, are often very difficult to open becauseexternal atmospheric pressure opposed to the internal vacuum, aided bythe adhering effect of the compound holds the cover so tightly on thecan that considerable force is required to pry the cover loose and bothcover and can are often distorted and damaged which impairs theusefulness of the parts for reclosure purposes.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming this difficulty byproviding a duplex cover, an outer screw-threaded element of which whenrotated reversely, as when removing it from the can, will pry open anedge of an inner sealing member of the cover at a locality and time inadvance of engagement of other prying and lifting elements with theinner sealing member and thereby break the vacuum so that the two-partcover as an entirety may be readily removed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a can adapted to bevacuumized and having an improved compound lined cover which may besecured to the can by cooperating interrupted screw threads and lockingelements by means of which the cover may be screwed down into tighthermetically sealed position on the cam and locked against accidentalloosening and dislodgment but yet may be easily operated when desired.to break the vacuum within the can by simple rotation as by unscrewingthe cover so that it may be readily lifted off and used again as areclosure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a can and coverwherein the cover is hermetically clamp the other onto the can and tohave rotative movement relative thereto for prying loose an edge of theclamped member at one locality only, thereby breaking the vacuum withinthe can so that the entire cover may be more easily removed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a novel can endclosure construction the movable part of which has two setsof prying andlifting elements cooperatively arranged on opposite sides, with alifting element of one disposed above a horizontal plane passed throughthe other, each set of elements simultaneously prying and lifting asealing member or disk from the can at one section thereof and holdingit after breaking the vacuum to facilitate continued turning action forremoving the cover.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view inside elevation of an assembled can andcover embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View in vertical section of theassembled can and cover taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantially alongthe line 3-3 in Fig. 1, showing the cover in closed position; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the cover in a partiallyraised position prior to removing the sealing disk from the can.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings disclose a cancomprising a cylindrical sheet metal body I I which is strengthenedadjacent its upper end by an annular bead l2 struck outwardly from thebody side wall. The upper end wall of the body terminates above the beadin an inwardly bent edge curl I3 which provides a smooth top edge andcover seating ledge on the body.

After filling, the can is adapted to be closed by a removable duplexsheet metal cover which permits closing and sealing under vacuum andupon being opened the cover may be used as a reclosure. This coverincludes a substantially flat flexible sealing disk 22 and a separateannular clamping ring 23 for holding the disk in position'upon thecontainer.

The cover sealing disk 22 is formed with a fiat made in two pieces, oneof which is adapted to Ci u ar panel 24 which at its outer edge me intoan annular inverted U-shaped flange 25. This flange provides a channel26 into which a lining compound or other appropriate gasket 21 iscarried. The peripheral edge of the flange is or may be flared outslightly as at 28. When the sealing disk is on the can, its panel 24 isdisposed in the mouth of the can and the flange 25 rests on top of andpartially surrounds the body curl l3 which thus forms a seat, the gasket21 being interposed between the flange 25 and the curl l3 as illustratedin Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The gasket effects a hermetic seal between the canand the sealing disk.

The sealing disk flange 25 during sealing of the can is drawn downtightly against the can seat or curl |3 by the annular clamping ring 23.This ring fits over the top of the flange 25 and is formed with adepending side wall or skirt section 3|. this skirt section is outsideof but closely adjacent the side wall of the can above the body bead l2.At its lower edge th rin skirt merges into an outwardly curled smoothsdge 32. At its upper end the skirt wall merges into an inwardly curvedflange 33 which surrounds the annular flange 25 of thesealing disk.

Adjacent the base of the curved wall section 33, i. e., where it mergesinto the side wall section 3| of the clamping ring, there are disposedprying elements 34 and lifting elements 35 (Fig. 1). There is preferablya prying element arranged adiacent each lifting element and one of eachof the elements is diametrically opposed to the other.

The prying element 34 consists of a triangular shaped blade or knifsection cut from the side wall of the clamping ring andinclined towardtheadjacent lifting element 35. The sharp corner of this triangularshaped blade is inclined inwardly from the skirt wall and extends intothe lining compound or gasket 21 when the blade is lifted in opening thecontainer. The outwardly flanged edge 28 of the sealing disk 22 guidesthe sharp edge of the blade beneath the disk and as the blade 34 isthicker than the space occupied by the gasket, it acts as 'a wedge forsimultaneously prying and cutting into the com pound when the cover isunscrewed (Fig. 2)

One of the prying elements 34 is preferably higher on the clamping ringskirt 3| than the r other with the result that it first comes intoengagement with the flared edge of the sealing disk .22. It thereforeraises the disk at a point ahead of the other. This advanced pryingaction on one side breaks the vacuum within the sealed container. Thusas one section of the disk is lifted and held upwardly it facilitatesthe removal of the duplex cover by the further turning of the clampingring.

The spaced relation of each prying blad 34 relative to'each liftingelement 35 (Figs. 1 and 3) is such as to insure that a lifting actionfollows a prying action when unscrewing the cover. The

When the cover is applied to the can.

it is pried loose by the uppermost prying blade 34 which has moved justahead. The lifting lug 35 on the opposite side of the can indicated atB, will engage under the flared edge 28 upon further turning of theclamping ring 3|. The lifting lugs thus assist in completely removingthe sealing disk 22 from the can.

Screw thread sections formed in the body wall above the bead l2 and inth clamping ring wall sect-ion 3| cooperate to provide for securing theduplex cover to the can. They also assist in removing it therefrom bybacking up the prying and lifting action of the elements 34 and 35against the sealing disk 22.

A plurality of spaced inclined interrupted threads 36 are disposed inoverlapping relation above the bead and are struck outwardly from thebody side wall II when the threads are formed. In the clamping rin wallsection 3| a plurality of spaced individually inclined interruptedthreads 31 are formed by being struck inwardly from the ring side wall.This general form of interrupted thread construction is often used insheet metal cans for securing can and cover together.

During the application of the duplex cover of th present invention thesealing disk 22 turns with the ring 23 until stopped by engagement ofits gasket 21 with the body curl l3. Thereafter erted thereon andopposed'to the low pressure or lifting elements 35 are preferablyproduced by slitting the skirt wall and pressing the Wall inwardlydirectly beneath the slit. This forms a shoulder or lug on the innerside of the clamp-' ing ring. The upper edge of each lug being bentinwardly from the ring wall 3| thus extends under the flared edge 28 ofthe sealing flange 25.

vacuumized condition within the container. There is also considerableclinging or adhesion of the gasket compound on the body curl l3.Continued rotation of the ring in reverse direction first brings theuppermost prying blade 34 between the flared edge 28 of the sealing diskametrically opposed location of the lifting elements 35 on the frictionring further serves to maintain the sealing disk 22 against displacemntfrom and-in desirable loosely assembled relation with the clamping ringelement 23, when the duplex or two-part cover is removed from thecontainer.

These cooperating prying and lifting actions xerted or directed againstdiametrically opposed portions of the sealing disk flange flared edge28, first to pry the sealing disk loose and then to lift it from itsseat, is of such a nature as not to damage the gasket or distort the canand cover parts. The duplex cover after its initial opening may then beusedas a suitable reclosure.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts with out departing from the spirit-and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A container for easy opening, comprising a container body formed witha top ledge defining an opening, a sheet metal duplex cover for closingand sealing said opening, said cover including a sealing disk having aperipheral flange adapted to seat on the body ledge and a clamping ringhaving an annular mounting on the flange of the disk for relativerotative movement therebetween, sealing material on said disk flange forengaging said ledge, cooperating screw threads formed respectively insaid body and clamping ring for positively moving th clamping ring andsaid disk relative to said body, a prying device formed on andprojecting inwardly from said clamping ring for engagement, beneath thedisk flange to initially open the container by a prying action againstsaid disk to overcome the tendency of said sealing material to holdagainst said ledge, and means on said clamping ring spaced from saidprying device for engaging beneath said disk flange for lifting thelatter from its ledge seat after the performance of said prying action.

2. An easy opening container adapted to be vacuumized, comprising acontainer body formed with a top ledge defining an opening, a duplexcover for closing and sealing said opening, said cover including aninner flexible sealing disk having a peripheral flange adapted to seaton the body ledge, said cover further including an outer clamping ringhaving an annular flange for seating on the flange of said disk forrotative movement relative thereto, sealing material on said disk flangefor engaging said ledge, cooperating screw threads formed in said bodyand in said clamping ring for attaching and removing said duplex cover,a plurality of spaced lifting lugs formed in said clamping rin andextending beneath said disk flange, and prying instrumentalities formedin the clamping ring adjacent said lugs and adapted for engagementbeneath the disk flange to cut into the said sealing material and to pryoutwardly on the disk at localized points to break the vacuum within thesealed container when it is initially opened by unscrewing of the cover,said lugs engaging the sealing disk and lifting it so that furtherunscrewing of the clamping ring is facilitated to more easily remove theduplex cover from the container body.

3. An easy opening sheet metal container adapted to be vacuumized,comprising a contain. or body formed with a top ledge defining anopening, a two-piece unitary cover for closing and sealing said opening,said cover including an inner sealing disk having a peripheral flangedefining a channel adapted to seat on the body ledge, said cover furtherincluding an outer clamping ring having an annular mountin on the flangeof said disk for relative rotation therebetween, a sealing gasketdisposed in the said flange channel for engaging the ledge in a sealingjoint, cooperating screw threads formed respectively in said body andclamping ring for positively moving said clamping ring up and downduring relative turning of the can and said cover, an integraltriangularly shaped blade struck from said clamping ring having a sharpedge directed upwardly and inwardly toward the disk flange, and a lugdisposed adjacent said blade for retaining the sealing disk looselywithin its clamping ring, said blade being adapted to separate thesealing gasket from the body ledge and to pry outwardly on the sealingdisk at one point to break the vacuum when said clamping ring is turnedto move outwardly on said threads, said lug thereafter engaging andlifting the sealing disk from its sealing position on the containerbody.

4. An easy opening sheet metal container adapted to be vacuumized,comprising a container body formed with a top ledge defining an opening,a duplex cover for closing and sealing said opening, said coverincluding an inner sealing disc having a peripheral flange adapted toseat on the body ledge, said cover further including an outer clampingring having a depending skirt and an annular mounting on the flange ofthe disc for relative rotation therebetween, sealing material on saidflange for engaging said ledge, cooperating screw threads formedrespectively in said body and clamp-ing ring for positively moving thelatter inwardly and outwardly relative to the container, a plurality ofprying blades on said clamping ring and extending inwardly from saidskirt, and a plurality of inwardly extending lugs on said clamping ringinterposed between said blades, a said lug being located adjacent a saidblade with one of said lugs disposed higher on the ring skirt thananother of said lugs, said blades and lugs cooperatively breaking thevacuum and lifting said disc from the container ledge and holding it inraised position when said cover is rotated in a reverse direction, asaid lug following in the path of movement of its adjacent blade torelease and elevate said cover from its closing and sealing position onthe container body.

JOHN M. HO'I'HERSALL.

